With the emerging technologies of wireless networks, embedded systems, and the Internet, there is an ever increasing demand for larger network bandwidth and higher network speed from all kinds of electronic devices employed in various settings, from computing and managing data to online shopping and social networking. Electronic and digital content have become extensively used in shared, networked environments as compared to traditional stand-alone personal computers and mobile devices. As a result, data traffic, and especially wireless data traffic, has experience an enormous growth.
To accommodate this large need in data traffic, wireless network technologies have grown substantially in terms of transmission speed; however, this increase in transmission speed is typically obtained at the expense of power consumption. Many of electronic devices are mobile or portable devices which rely on limited power resources to operate, and typical, performance-oriented wireless communication techniques may adversely affect the operational life of these battery powered devices. This is especially true with wireless sensors, such as motion detectors, cameras, pressure and temperature sensors, or carbon monoxide sensors, where these devices are expected to operate on batteries for a long time and are at idle or asleep most of the time.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods and apparatuses that reduce power consumption of power-sensitive mobile devices (e.g., wireless sensors) while still satisfying the need for transmission speed of regular devices.
Like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures and specification.